Maultaschen: Swabian spinach and meat dumplings in broth with butter-sautéed onions

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1. Make the dough

   40 min

   Mix the flour with the salt, add the eggs, oil, and water, and knead for 8–10 minutes to form a smooth, firm dough. If it is crumbly, add a tablespoon of water. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare the spinach

   10 min

   While the dough rests, squeeze the thawed spinach thoroughly to remove excess water, then chop it. Finely chop the onion and sauté it in the butter until translucent. Add the spinach and cook together for 2 minutes. Let cool.

3. Mix the filling

   10 min

   Cut up the bread roll, pour the milk over it, and squeeze it out after 5 minutes. Finely dice the bacon. Combine the ground meat with the bread roll, bacon, spinach and onion mixture, parsley, and egg. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

4. Shape the dumplings

   30 min

   Divide the dough into two portions. On a floured work surface, roll each portion into a thin strip about 24 cm wide and 1–2 mm thick. Spread half the filling over the lower half of each strip, brush the edges with water, and fold the upper half over the filling. Press the handle of a wooden spoon crosswise into the dough every 7–8 cm. Cut along these lines with a knife to form dumplings, then press the edges closed with a fork. This makes about 16 dumplings.

5. Cook in the broth

   15 min

   Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat. Add the dumplings and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Do not let the broth boil vigorously, or the dumplings may split open.

6. Sauté the onions

   10 min

   Meanwhile, cut the second onion into thin half-moons and sauté in the butter, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

7. Serve

   5 min

   Divide the dumplings among soup bowls, ladle the hot broth over them, and top with the sautéed onions and their butter.

Tip: Cut any leftover dumplings into strips and pan-fry them in butter with beaten egg—that is how they are eaten the next day in Swabia. Read more: How to grind meat at home: tips and meat blends

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Jemné švábske taštičky Maultaschen so špenátom a mäsom: vo vývare s cibuľkou na masle